Good Night, John Boy

Bedtime conversation from The Day The Fish Died:

Katherine (tearing up): Mama, I like my two new fish, but I wish I still had Polly and Tiny.

Me: I know, Honey. But you took good care of them and they had a nice life.

Katherine: *crying*

Eli (calling from his room): Hey, Mommio! What wrong Katin?

Me: She's sad about her fish.

[Pause]

Eli (yelling): Hey, Katin! Your two fish die AGAIN?

Thursday

7:45am--Drop children off at neighbor's house.
8--Attend Parent Orientation meeting.
9--Pick up children.
9:15--Babysit neighbor's children.
Bake 2 dozen dairy-free cookies for school freezer.
Bake 2 dozen dairy-free cupcakes for school freezer/family birthday party.
11:30--Lunch.
12--Naptime for middle child.
Pay bills.
12:30--Have neighbor over to watch children again.
12:45--Allergy Action Plan meeting at school. Bring medications, cookies, and cupcakes.
2--Visit with neighbor before she leaves.
3--Wash dishes.
Start dinner.
4--Take children outside to play with friends.
5:45--Babysit other neighbor's child.
6:15--Feed children dinner.
7--In laws call from new house.
7--Other neighbors stop by to visit and bring birthday present.
7:45--Parent and brother of child being babysat come by to pick her up.
8--Children's bedtime.
8:30--Yet another neighbor stops by with our half of our farm share.
8:45--Eat dinner.
9:30--Go to bed.

The Depression

There is a sweet man with a lot of troubles who attends our church. Sometimes he is very involved, and sometimes you won't see him for weeks. Those are the times when he says he's "got the depression."

I think I've got the depression. Or the summer melancholy. Or something. Sad things are happening to people I know and love. Happy things are happening, too, but they can make me just as weepy.

I spent Tuesday packing up infant items (bassinet, baby bathtub, baby swing) and replacing them with baby items (pack n' play, bath seat, exersaucer, baby food paraphernalia). I returned the bassinet to our neighbors and then delivered dinner to friends who just had their fourth child, their first boy. As I held him and he spit up on me, I was filled with sadness over the "loss" of my newborn. (Who is a full SIX months old now. Yeah, she'll be leaving for college any day.) Then I started thinking about my baby boy, who is getting bigger every second. (Yes, he's only TWO and is still in diapers and a crib.) But still. It feels as if time is whizzing by. When did all of the back-to-school advertising start? Where did June and July go? WHAT IS HAPPENING?

Later that evening, I took Katherine to see a magician perform in the park, where I watched her be amazed by the simple magic tricks. Then I came home to tuck in Eli. "Maybe you'll dream about trucks," I suggested to my half-asleep boy. "NO! No dream 'bout trucks! Hai dream 'bout John Deah tractras! I see three two one tractras at farm! I see front end lodah!"

So, yes, the babies disappear, but they are replaced by these wonderful children.



Speaking of delivering food (nice segue, Sarah), what's your favorite dish to make for someone who just had a baby, or surgery, or just needs some cheering up?

Days in the Life

Tuesday
Think it's Monday all day. Wonder why the mother in charge of Friday's Summer Birthdays party at Kindergarten hasn't called me yet.
Almost miss baby's four-month appointment. What genius scheduled it for 9 am the morning after a holiday? (Answer: Me.) Let toddler get a lollipop at doctor's office. Stop at grocery store on the way home with fussy baby and lollipop juice-covered toddler. Buy baby Tylenol and $75 in other "essentials."
Come home from doctor's office to find message from Teacher. Please call her, re: I am the mother in charge of the Summer Birthdays party.
Call several irritated mothers to assign them party duties.
Remember the van's registration expires this month. Call to schedule an inspection and hear, "You weren't expecting to get in by the end of the month, were you, Honey?"
Eat the rest of the leftover carrot cake from Memorial Day picnic.

Wednesday
Daddy leaves on four-day trip at 5:30 am. It's time for our yearly visit to Leftbehindville.
Baby wakes up fussy because of four-month shots.
Get Kindergartner ready for school so Grandad can drive her. (Thank you, Grandad!)
Pay bills.
Blog.
Listen to Toddler tell story over and over of how he road on Grandad's tractor.
"Da, mooie tchra? Seat. Ride. Wheel. Hai turn. Katin turn. Nooo, Katin!!!! Nooo!!! Hai turn! Hai turn! Hai turn. Bye, mooie tchra."
["Grandad's tractor? I sat on it. I rode it. I turned the wheel. Eli had a turn. Katherine had a turn. No, Katherine! It's Eli's turn! Eli's turn! Eli had another turn. Bye, tractor."]
Eat leftover oatmeal cookies from Memorial Day picnic.
Kindergartner returns home. Feed everyone lunch. Nurse baby. Put Toddler and Baby down for naps. Decide to clean out the basement to get away from incessant Kindergartner chattiness:
"A long time ago, but not a long time ago, a little while ago, but not a little while ago, a long time ago, but not so long, Eli and I were jumping in rain puddles. Do you remember that?"
Kindergartner loses a tooth.
Take Kindergartner to swim lessons.
Talk to Daddy on the phone.
Go to bed right after the kids.
Get up in a panic to perform Tooth Fairy duties.

Thursday
Hear about Husband's delicious seafood dinner the night before.
Buy cupcake ingredients.
Bake dairy-free cupcakes for Friday's school party.
Bake dairy-free muffins for Friday's playgroup. (Toddler-watching bribery for the other moms.)
Think about ordering takeout for dinner.
Only two more days till Daddy's home....

Wordless Wednesday: Breakfast Tea Party

Emily and Jarred...

... are married! The wedding is over (as are the two family reunions, the three bridal showers, and the endless visits from out-of-town relatives, etc.), and we survived. A big thank you to Dotty the seamstress who let out the seams in the baby-belly area so effortlessly.

Now, the Hatfields are going on vacation in New Hampshire. I can't wait to sit on the beach by the lake and do NOTHING.

I've missed all of you, and I look forward to catching up when I return. Have a great week!

Anniversary

If you get married on a national holiday (like, say, The Fourth of July):

• It is easy to remember your anniversary
• You will always have the day off from work
• There will always be fun events, like fireworks, to attend
  
• You will spend the day with family
  

On the other hand:

• You will never have a romantic evening out on your actual anniversary
• You will often spend your anniversary on the road
• Your traditional anniversary dinner will feature hot dogs and marshmallows
• You will spend the day with family
  

So, tonight, Scott and I will enjoy a lovely dinner out before the holiday/family reunion madness begins.

The Wild Rose

Sometimes hidden from me
in daily custom and in trust,
so that I live by you unaware
as by the beating of my heart.

Suddenly you flare in my sight,
a wild rose blooming at the edge
of thicket, grace and light
where yesterday was only shade,

and once again I am blessed, choosing
again what I chose before.

--Wendell Berry

Happy Fourth of July!

Edited to add: We are on our way to Scott's family reunion in Salt Lick, KY. See you all here Tuesday when we return.

Surprise

So, what's up with you? Me? Nothing. Just summer stuff, wedding stuff...oh yeah, and a surprise pregnancy.

Yep. Due date January 26, 2008. That's one week before Eli's second birthday. Mostly I am excited, but I'm also very nervous. My sister and I are nine and a half years apart. Katherine and Eli are four and a half years apart. I don't know how this two-year spacing is going to work. This is what I get for saying, "I don't know how they do it!" about friends with closely-spaced children. Now I get to find out for myself. We've always wanted three children, but my timeline and God's were a bit different. Ah, well. It will all work out.

Although my mother had a dream that I was pregnant with twin boys, we found out yesterday that there is just one Baby Peanut on the way. Scott went out and bought a minivan this weekend, so now he feels ready. "We'll all fit in this house, and we'll all fit in this van." Katherine is hoping for a sister. I pointed out to her that I never had a brother, and she does, and she said, "Maybe Grandma and Grandad will have another baby so you can have a brother, Mama!"



We talked some more about how the baby could be a boy or a girl, and she said, "But either way, it'll be my baby!"

Eli keeps patting my (already pooching) tummy saying, "Bay-bay? Bay-BAY!"

Anyway, I'm sorry I haven't been writing as much or commenting as much, but it's been hard to keep this a secret. I'd want to write about Go Dairy Free or cookie recipes, but my brain was making my hands type "BABYBABYBABYPREGNANTPREGNANTPREGNANT!!!"

I think, like many other bloggers, I am finding that summer is a not-so-much-blogging time. But I'll try to write more frequently now that my secret is out.

Now if I can just cram myself into my bridesmaid dress on August fourth....

Snowbunny...

...with healed tooth.

Birthday Boy

Here are a couple pictures of "The Boy," as K called him before he was born. When she first met him in the hospital, she greeted him with, "Hey, little pumpkin head!"

Happy Birthday

Hard to believe that a year ago today Scott and I were watching Groundhog Day coverage on PCN (Pennsylvania Cable Network) at the hospital waiting for E to arrive. Now he's one! After wishing him "Happy Birthday" this morning, K paused and said, "When is he going to be really one? You know, and really know how to walk and talk?"

Here's a dairy-free, egg-free cake recipe in honor of Big E. I don't know who to credit for it because it's in at least three of my cookbooks and has been around a long time. Thanks to the original creator, whoever you are.

Cockeyed Cake [Dairy Free, Egg Free]

1 1/2 cups sifted flour
3 T. cocoa powder
1 t. baking soda
1 cup sugar
1/2 t. salt
5 T. canola oil
1 t. white vinegar
1 t. vanilla extract
1 cup cold water

Put the sifted flour back into the sifter along with the cocoa powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt. Sift these ingredients into a 9x9 greased, square cake pan. Make three holes in the dry ingredients. Pour the oil into one hole, the vinegar into the second hole, and the vanilla into the third hole. Pour the cold water over it all. Mix with a spoon until it's almost smooth and you can't see any flour. Bake at 350 degrees for half an hour. When cool, frost with frosting or dust with powdered sugar.